Lexus NX300 Owner's Manual page 395

grading.
Your Lexus dealer will help answer any
questions you may have as you read this
information.
DOT quality grades
■
All passenger vehicle tires must con-
form to Federal Safety Requirements in
addition to these grades. Quality
grades can be found where applicable
on the tire sidewall between tread
shoulder and maximum section width.
For example: Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
Treadwear
■
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified government test
course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and a half (1 - 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA, A, B, C
■
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C, and they
represent the tire's ability to stop on
wet pavement as measured under con-
trolled conditions on specified govern-
ment test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete.
A tire marked C may have poor traction
performance.
LEXUS NX300
al_USA_OM78211U
Owners Manu-
8-1. Specifications
Warning: The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on braking (straight
ahead) traction tests and does not include
cornering (turning) traction.
Temperature A, B, C
■
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B, and C, representing the
tire's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature
can lead to sudden tire failure.
Grade C corresponds to a level of perfor-
mance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grades for this
tire are established for a tire that is prop-
erly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or exces-
sive loading, either separately or in combi-
nation, can cause heat buildup and
possible tire failure.
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